The bustling city of Tokyo is a popular tourist destination for countless reasons, one being Roppongi Hills. This unique complex (which is not really a hill) was established in 2003.
Among its many restaurants, offices, shops, and charming hotel, the Mori Tower stands as any tourist’s best bet to experience everything the city has to offer all under one roof; the Mori Art Museum being a place that should not be missed out on.
The Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan
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The Mori Art Museum was created with the idea of urban planning in mind. It serves as a popular tourist attraction site where only the best forms of contemporary art from across the globe are showcased for all to see. Located at the topmost floor of Mori Tower, the Mori Art Museum was formally introduced to the public in 2003 during the month of October.
Through diverse art works and pieces, the museum strives not only be a place for cultural appreciation but also a place for brain stimulation, discussion, and open-mindedness. People of all ages ranging from young children to senior citizens are considered in the planning of the museum’s exhibitions and learning programs.
The Mori Art Museum Exhibitions Guide
The Mori Art Museum holds several exhibitions per year which usually start or end during the months of February, June, July, and October. These exhibits fall under different categories including:
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MAM Collection
The MAM Collection mainly focuses on art works by Japanese and Asian artists. About four hundred pieces are currently part of the collection. Every year, several of these sculptures are used in theme-based exhibitions that revolve around the relationship of life and art.
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MAM Research
The MAM Research aims to tackle the political, social, and economic histories of Japan and other Asian countries and their respective impacts on contemporary art. The exhibited items in this collection are not limited to works of art and also consists of videos, texts, and photographs of historical archives from various institutions.
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MAM Screen
The MAM Screen, as its name suggests, concentrates on the world of video art. Throughout time, video has significantly changed in line with technological advancements, nearly making everything imaginable a reality.
This program also provides audiences from different places of the world with daily video screenings of the exhibitions on hand.
Recycle and Build (MAM Collection)
The Recycle and Build Exhibition of the MAM Collection was presented on July 5, 2017 and will continue to be showcased until October 23, 2017. The exhibit’s participating artists include Miyamoto Ryuji (a Japanese artist based in Hiroshima), UJINO (a Japanese artist based in Tokyo), and Iwasaki Takahiro (a Japanese artist based in Tokyo).
After World War II, Japan has been known to feature a destroy and create approach when it comes to the development of infrastructures. A deeper look at this constant alteration to the urban landscape presents the country’s priority on economics, technology, and efficiency above all else. The effectiveness of this method is currently being reconsidered, with the consistent rise of building restorations and renovations in the last twenty years.
The MAM Collection exhibition aims to shine some light on the relationship of recycling and cities through four sculptures:
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Vertical Plywood City
Vertical Plywood City is a sound sculpture created by UJINO. It makes use of plywood pieces and old electronics to create an imaginary city.
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Out of Disorder
Out of Disorder by Iwasaki Takahiro features miniature structures consisting of towel threads, clothes, and other fabrics.
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Cardboard Houses – Tokyo 1994 and Tokyo 1996
Cardboard Houses – Tokyo 1994 and Tokyo 1996 consist of different photos taken by Miyamoto Ryuji. The main subjects of these photos are the houses of homeless people which make use of recycled materials and cardboard boxes.
Period: From July 5, 2017 to October 23, 2017
Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Wednesday – Monday; 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday
Admission/Ticket Price: 1,000 yen per person (Adult); 500 yen per person (College/Highschool Student)
Camille Henrot (MAM Screen)
The Camille Henrot exhibition features nine of her films from 2002 to 2011. All of these have been combined to create a single 55-minute video art that challenges viewers to question the standard conventions about cultural dialogue, film, and memory set by society.
Camille Henrot is currently based in New York but was born in Paris during the year 1978. She was recognized on an international basis for Grosse Fatigue, a video she produced that won her the 55th Venice Biennale’s Silver Lion Award. Her nine films included in the MAM Screen exhibition are:
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Le Songe de Poliphile (The Strife of Love in a Dream)
Year: 2011
Duration in exhibit: 11 minutes and 40 seconds
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Metawolf
Year: 2002
Duration in exhibit: 2 minutes and 39 seconds
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sCOpe
Year: 2005
Duration in exhibit: 3 minutes and 8 seconds
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Natural History of Art
Year: 2009
Duration in exhibit: 6 minutes and 49 seconds
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Lansky
Year: 2003
Duration in exhibit: 3 minutes and 59 seconds
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WOLF EYES
Year: 2008
Duration in exhibit: 6 minutes and 26 seconds
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Dying Living Woman
Year: 2005
Duration in exhibit: 6 minutes and 15 seconds
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Be Brave My Love!
Year: 2005
Duration in exhibit: 3 minutes and 45 seconds
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Coupe/Decale
Year: 2010
Duration in exhibit: 4 minutes and 7 seconds
Period: From July 5, 2017 to October 23, 2017
Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Wednesday – Monday; 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday
Admission/Ticket Price: 1,000 yen per person (Adult); 500 yen per person (College/Highschool Student)
Laboratory for Chinese Contemporary Photography – Three Shadows Photography Art Centre (MAM Research)
The Laboratory for Chinese Contemporary Photography exhibition takes audiences back ten years into the past of Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, a complex established by Rong Rong & Inri for aspiring Chinese photographers.
With the insights of Wu Hung, an esteemed art historian, a deeper understanding of how contemporary photography in China has evolved throughout time can be observed. Interview video footages of staff members, artists, and critics who closely worked with Three Shadows Photography Art Centre are also included in the exhibition, among other relevant materials.
Period: From July 5, 2017 to October 23, 2017
Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Wednesday – Monday; 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday
Admission/Ticket Price: 1,000 yen per person (Adult); 500 yen per person (College/Highschool Student)
SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980 to Now
In line with the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, the Mori Art Museum, The Japan Foundation Asia Center, and The National Art Center of Tokyo have organized the SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980 to Now exhibition.
As of present, the exhibition stands as the largest one to explore the dynamic world of contemporary art in Southeast Asia. It is aptly named for the meteorological phenomenon of rain pouring down from clear skies – a common occurrence for many ASEAN countries and a metaphor for the region’s constant ups and downs.
The exhibit consists of the following nine sections held in either the Mori Art Museum or The National Art Center of Tokyo:
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Fluid World (The National Art Center of Tokyo)
The Fluid World section features multi-layer maps that present Southeast Asia’s overlapping cartography. These maps also offer viewers with an overview of the significances, migrations, and movement of diverse communities throughout the years.
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Passion and Revolution (Held at the The National Art Center of Tokyo)
The Passion and Revolution section showcases various works of art by different artists from Southeast Asia who got a first-hand experience of World War II’s aftermath. Issues of freedom of speech, artistic expression, and democracy are some of the things tackled by this portion of the exhibit.
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Archiving (Held at the The National Art Center of Tokyo)
The Archiving section focuses on how technological advancements have made previously inaccessible information and records readily available, so much so that a growing number of artists now incorporate them in their artworks.
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Diverse Identities (Held at the The National Art Center of Tokyo)
The Diverse Identities section goes back to the age of independence, democracy, and postcolonialism. During this period, people from all over started questioning their identities as a nation and as separate individuals. As such, many works of art from this time revolve around finding one’s true identity – a matter that remains relevant up to this day.
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Day by Day (Held at the The National Art Center of Tokyo)
The Day by Day section revolves around the 1990s when the everyday lives of people became the main subject of many artists. Beyond the memories and traditions showcased by the exhibit items, viewers are encouraged to explore the roles of multiculturalism and globalization on one’s lifestyle.
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Growth and Loss (Held at the Miro Art Museum)
The Growth and Loss section tackles the ever-growing presence of ASEAN in international waters and its possible effects on the cultural and social traditions of each country.
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What Is Art? Why Do It? (Held at the Miro Art Museum)
The What is Art? Why Do It? section of the ASEAN exhibit gives emphasis on the importance of contemporary art for different countries in Southeast Asia. Given that public art museums and similar establishments are relatively new concepts, a significant number of young artists continually question how art contributes to the daily problems experienced by the communities.
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Medium as Meditation (Held at the Miro Art Museum)
The Medium as Meditation section concentrates on the works of various artists who make use of traditional techniques to produce cultural and religious masterpieces that go beyond the world of the living.
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Dialogue with History (Held at the Miro Art Museum)
The Dialogue with History section features works of art that allow viewers to revisit different eras of the past and engage in historical narratives. The aim of the exhibit is to put an emphasis on how a certain chapter of history may not run the same way in each person’s memory.
Period: From July 5, 2017 to October 23, 2017
Hours (Miro Art Museum): 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Wednesday – Monday; 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday
Hours (The National Art Center of Tokyo): 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday – Thursday & Sunday; 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Friday - Saturday
Admission/Ticket Price (Access to Both Museums): 1,800 yen per person (Adult); 800 yen per person (College/Highschool Student)
Information about the Mori Art Museum – Access, Hours, Review, Etc.
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The Mori Art Museum is situated on the topmost floor (53rd floor) of the Mori Tower. Tourists can access Roppongi Hills by taking a 5-minute walk from the Roppongi Station of the Hibiya Line or by taking a 10-minute walk from the Roppongi Station of the Oedo Line.
The Hibiya Line is accessible from Tokyo at the Kasumigaseki Station. From here, a 15-minute train ride to Roppongi Station can be taken for the cost of 170 yen.
On the other hand, the Oedo Subway Line can be taken by those who will be coming from Shinjuku. The ride to Roppongi Station takes about 10 minutes and costs 220 yen per person.
Tourist bus services bound to Roppongi Hills are also available from different areas of Tokyo which may be arranged through various travel agencies.
Address: 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Wednesday – Monday; 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday
Contact Number: +81-3-5777-8600
Average Rating: 4.2 out of 5
Must-Visit Places at the Mori Tower other than the Mori Art Museum – Maman (Spider Sculpture), Skydeck, and Shop
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The Mori Tower is among the tallest structures of Roppongi Hills and offers plenty of other places for tourists to explore. Some of the sites that must absolutely be checked out include:
Maman (Spider Sculpture)
The Maman is a massive spider sculpture made from marble, stainless steel, and bronze. It was created in 1999 by French-American artist, Louise Bourgeois.
Although a work of art, the massive sculpture is actually located outside of the Mori Art Museum, particularly at the foot of Mori Tower.
The Tokyo City View
The Tokyo City View serves as an observation deck for tourists to get panoramic views of the Tokyo and beyond. It is open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM during Monday – Thursday & Sunday, and from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM during Friday – Saturday.
The Mori Art Museum Shop
The Mori Art Museum Shop offers a wide array of exclusive merchandise to visitors who want to bring home pleasant memorabilia of their trip to the museum. The shop is located within the Mori Art Museum and shares the same opening and closing hours.